Hotwire

Debut albums, for most bands, are more about showing a combination of influences than expressing originality. The difference between a good debut and a bad debut is how those influences manifest. Hotwire’s full-length debut disc, The Routine, is the perfect testament to that philosophy. There is a definite taste of early Mötley Crüe (circa 1982’s Too Fast For Love) on the first couple of tracks of the record, including "Invisible.” There is a pure Guns N’ Roses feel to some of the guitar work of Rus Martin (also the vocalist) and Gabe Garcia. I can hear a bit of Faith No More and Jane’s Addiction in "Not Today.” There is even a bit of classic punk on the album too (Black Flag, Bad Brains). But the key to The Routine is that these influences are out in the open. By that I mean that they are very apparent in the band’s sound, not that their style is a blatant rip off of the mentioned bands. Hotwire incorporate these influences within their own sound. Producer Matt Hyde (Porno for Pyros, Fu Manchu, Slayer) has pulled out elements of all the bands Hotwire grew up loving. I speculate that as the band grows more comfortable with their place in the modern musical environment, the influences will melt away as the Hotwire solidifies.